2) Use a descriptive thread title. Use the title as descriptive as possible. This has 2 advantages one experts can find you easily and second if your query is answered other people searching similar can find it easily.

3) Describe the problem. Provide as much details as possible.

4) Post the code.

5) Limit the amount of code. Post code where you have difficulty and not an entire programs.

6) Write clean code. Format you code properly and comment it so it's easier for others to follow.

7) Use code tags. Use the appropriate code tag (e.g. [ php][/php ] and [ code][/code ]) to make your code easier to read. See BB Code Section for [Code]

8) Turn off unnecessary items like smilies so that some code snippets are not converted to smilies.

9) Always preview.

[Updated 24th May 2006]

10) Dont put your complete assignment. You should not be putting your complete assignments like I need <Some program> can you help me.

[Updated 29th July 2006]

11) Dont just spam the forums with the links to your site. If you think your site is very much helpful to the userbase of Go4Expert try getting your site into the Sticky thread on the top of each forum where the resources to the section can be found.

E.G. If you think any site (including your own) can be useful to the persons looking for JAVA resources you can contact the mods/Admin of Java Forum and ask the link to be added to the sticky thread Java Resources

Information is key to resolving problems. There is no substitute. That is why we use debuggers and printing or logging features: to find out the state of the program at a particular instant.

On the other hand, unrelated information stalls the process, overwhelms the mind. Here are some tips for asking a good question.

BE DESCRIPTIVE

I cannot stress this enough. We cannot possibly help you if you simply post a thread, copy and paste your whole code and say "it has errors what's wrong with it?". Keep this in mind:

1. Explain to us what your code DOES (or what it's supposed to do).

2. Explain to us what exactly the error is. What kind of error? Or is it just not doing what you want?

3. Remember that you know a lot more about your code than we do. Don't assume we know just what it does.

ONLY POST THE PART OF YOUR CODE THAT HAS PROBLEMS!

PLEASE do not post your entire code in a message. And if you have to use 2 messages that's a good indication that you're going to annoy people. Only post the part of your code where you have problems. That's it. Just a very small piece of it. It's not hard. Just find the part you think doesn't work and post that. WE DON'T WANT TO SEE YOUR ENTIRE CODE. If you post the entire code it's going to take us a lot longer to find the problem.

If you get an error on a certain LINE, tell us what's on that line and what's on the few lines above it!

It's not too helpful when you mention an error on a certain line but don't tell us what code is on that line. Because errors can sometimes be caused by lines of code above the one the error is mentioned on, please post a few lines above that line.

ONLY YOU KNOW WHAT "DOESN'T WORK" MEANS.

Please tell us what your code is supposed to do and why it "doesn't work". Or if you don't feel like explaining what the whole code is, at least tell us what the offending code is supposed to do. When you come in and say "it doesn't work" or just "it has errors", that means NOTHING. There could be a million things wrong and no one will know where to look.

REMEMBER, WHEN PEOPLE HELP YOU, THEY ARE DOING YOU A FAVOR

Regardless of how big your ego is, it is NOT someone else's privilege to debug Your code. It is not their privilege to have them help you. It is YOURS. Remember that when people help you they are doing YOU a favor. You are not doing them a favor by letting them see your incredible application. Be patient, help people out by posting good descriptions of what you need help with, and not snapping at people with garbage such as "if you aren't going to help don't waste my time replying".